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I have travelled to border areas between Canada and the U.S. and have never, ever found that the border areas on the U.S. side feel "more Canadian" than American. Sure, there are some aspects that make them seem more "like Canada" to people but I am not sure if these are related to climate, geography and ethnicity more than to their proximity to Canada.
I find the American culture and identity to be very strong and you generally feel that as soon as you cross the border. People tend to be very "American*" even if they live just a few hundred yards from another country (Canada). I don't find that Americans just across the border are that different and more Canadian from residents of the same state that live further away from the border.
*Or at least, the prototype American as found in the northern parts of the United States.
I have to agree. I've never felt a stronger connection just south of the border in spite of the fact that I always feel I *should* be finding similarities due to ethnicity and climate. American jumps out loud and clear to me. And for some reason, I feel more comfortable in New Orleans than I do in Fargo. I thought maybe it was the more laidback vibe in New Orleans, and the underlying Cajun influence that made it feel that way to me, as opposed to just north of the border.
Yes you're correct. Apparently Toronto's about 5% American too. I find that hard to believe lol.. so I'm not sure how reputable that info is. It's also 11 years old mind you.
Calculated the percentages by looking at 1999 metro population figures. Halifax is actually the most American-Canadian city in Canada in terms of percentage.
I am thinking that the reason Halifax is so high probably has to do with the fact it could have more dual citizens than the other cities. I don't see Halifax as a magnet for Americans, but Nova Scotia (like all of Atlantic Canada) has a long tradition of people migrating to the U.S. for work.
Most of the "Americans" living in Halifax are probably Canadian-born people who moved to the States for work, got American citizenship, and then moved back to Nova Scotia, usually in retirement.
You certainly have this phenom in the other Canadian cities listed as well, but not to the degree you would in Atlantic Canada.
Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and parts of Alberta are indistinguishable from the Great Plains States of the Midwestern United States.
The Maritimes are very similar to New England and the Northeast.
Ontario closely resembles the Upper Midwestern states.
Much of Alberta resembles Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana.
British Columbia combines the Pacific Northwest and Western Idaho and Western Nevada.
The most American province in culture and attitude is by far Alberta. It does make sense though since Alberta has 4 times the Canadian average of American residents, and Calgary, Alberta's largest city is 11% American.
All of this may very well be true but if border areas of Canada seem familiar to a "US Traveller", it is chiefly because of the Americanness/Americanization of the Canadian side. The influence flows south-to-north, and there isn't so much going in the other direction.
Also, the commonality/familiarity that many, many Canadians sincerely feel with areas of the States across the border is really due to the Americanization of their home turf, rather than to a "Canadianization" of U.S. border zones.
The most American province in culture and attitude is by far Alberta. It does make sense though since Alberta has 4 times the Canadian average of American residents, and Calgary, Alberta's largest city is 11% American.[/quote]
If you do the math, that means that slightly more than 110,000 citizens of Calgary are American, which would imply that there are more Americans in Calgary than there are in Billings, Montana's largest city. I find it notable that Calgary, given its strong inclination to the US, (a friend of mine from Montana once remarked that she considers Alberta to be basically northern Montana; she meant that in a positive, inclusive way) is one of the few population centers in Canada that is more than 100 miles from the US/Canada border (80% of the Canadian population lives within 100 miles of the border). I observed a similiar phenomena in that the most British city in Canada is actually the one that is furthest away from Britain (Victoria, BC).
Manitoba does remind me of the Great Plains States. I like the friendliness of the folks from the Dakotas, and I have some family in Minnesota. Alberta seems as American to me as "Mom's apple pie". That being said, I find the political views of my American cousins much further to the right than my own views. Maybe it has something to do with the Manifest Destiny?
I am thinking that the reason Halifax is so high probably has to do with the fact it could have more dual citizens than the other cities. I don't see Halifax as a magnet for Americans, but Nova Scotia (like all of Atlantic Canada) has a long tradition of people migrating to the U.S. for work.
Most of the "Americans" living in Halifax are probably Canadian-born people who moved to the States for work, got American citizenship, and then moved back to Nova Scotia, usually in retirement.
You certainly have this phenom in the other Canadian cities listed as well, but not to the degree you would in Atlantic Canada.
Also, there is a history of Americans migrating there for centuries(i.e.-the Loyalists and refugees from the War of 1812). Even the Black community there is more like Black communities here in the States due to those migrations.
Also, there is a history of Americans migrating there for centuries(i.e.-the Loyalists and refugees from the War of 1812). Even the Black community there is more like Black communities here in the States due to those migrations.
Both sides of my family are from a Loyalist background. I hope we are not considered American for two reasons.
It was a little while ago.
Most of my great, great, great, great grandparents would spin in their graves.
Also, there is a history of Americans migrating there for centuries(i.e.-the Loyalists and refugees from the War of 1812). Even the Black community there is more like Black communities here in the States due to those migrations.
That's understood, but they'd check of Canadian if they were born here, not American. The 40,000 Americans in Halifax account for anyone with American citizenship. IF you were to take into acount Canadians with an American parent/grandparent/great-grandparent... the percentage would exceed 60% of the country. A majority of Canada was settled by American's some time in the past. Especially on the western half of the country and southern Ontario.
That's understood, but they'd check of Canadian if they were born here, not American. .
I tend to agree with this. Most Nova Scotians of Loyalist descent as well as Black Nova Scotians whose ancestors were enslaved in the U.S. would be Canadian citizens *only* today, unless they personally had spent a significant time living in the U.S. at some point in their lives and taken on U.S. citizenship, and then returned to Canada.
But I'd say there isn't really among Nova Scotians any "residual" U.S. citizenship in anyone that would somehow go back to the 1700s or 1800s...
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I thought maybe it was the more laidback vibe in New Orleans, and the underlying Cajun influence that made it feel that way to me, as opposed to just north of the border.
